How do I choose my ideal domain name?

Author: Bart van der Meer

Coming up with the right website name (=domain name) is always really tricky.

Your business will be tied to that one name for years to come.

It's a name that shows up everywhere: on business cards, posters, in your email signature, on social media. Pretty much anywhere you advertise.

You want a unique website name that stands out, sticks in people's minds and connects your name to your industry.

But what's the smart move? Should you put your service or product in the name? Do you go for a combination of the most important keywords? Or do you just come up with a fun, cool name and see how it plays out?

Does your website name even matter? Don't customers always remember your name automatically? And what about Google (SEO)? Can you just use any random website name or not?

What are the big pitfalls you don't think of at first? What if you've already come up with a great website name, but someone else has already claimed it? Can you just grab the .eu or .com version instead?

So yes, choosing the best domain name is tricky!

Luckily, we're here to help. Below you'll find answers to all your questions and more.

We've also put together loads of inspiration and domain name tips, so this article helps you choose the best domain name, one that also ranks nicely in Google.

What is a Domain Name?

Just to be clear: the domain name of a website is this: www.klikproces.nl.

To be more specific, it's about the klikproces part of www.klikproces.nl combined with the domain name extension (.nl). Together, those 2 elements make up your domain name.

Why is a Domain Name so important?

The right domain name is crucial for your website for 2 reasons:

• First of all, your domain name affects how quickly, broadly and easily you rank in Google.
• On top of that, you carry it into all your other marketing activities, because the website name shows up everywhere.

Brochures, flyers, posters, social media, you name it. Your website always shows up. Even on your personal LinkedIn profile.

Important Before You Start

Before you jump straight to all 17 tips and start checking your domain name, something important:

Finding a perfect domain name is hard. Really, really hard.

Millions of .nl domain names have been registered. So the chance that your perfect name is already taken is considerable. Be prepared that you might have to settle for something less than perfect.

With that said: below is a list of 17 considerations to help you decide whether your domain name is perfect.

What are your options when it comes to a domain name?

Basically, you get to choose 2 elements of your domain name yourself: the klikproces part and the .nl part.

The one requirement for every domain name is that nobody else in the world can already be using it. Every domain name has to be unique.

It's similar to how everyone in the Netherlands has a unique BSN (citizen service number) and every company has its own VAT number.

So what are your options?

Domain name

The part before your extension (www.klikproces.nl) has very few restrictions.

Any combination of letters and numbers is allowed. The only special character you can use is the hyphen “-”. No ! ? # @ or any other special character.

Domain name extensions

The extension (.nl) does have restrictions. Extensions are defined in advance at a global level.

For example, every country has its own extension: .nl for the Netherlands, .be for Belgium, and so on.

There are also extensions that don't belong to a country, but to the US government, for example (.gov ), or to educational institutions (.edu).

You can find a list of all the hundreds or thousands of possible extensions here: list of all possible domain name extensions, but it won't be of much use to you.

At the bottom of this article you'll find a list of relevant extensions and the considerations that go with each choice. Want to jump straight there? Found a domain name? Which extensions should you claim?

Now that that's clear:

17 Crucial Domain Name Tips:

• .nl or another extension for your domain name?
• Is using numbers in a domain name a good idea?
• Do you ever want to sell your website?
• How do you want to come across?
• Domain name with or without a hyphen?
• How unique is the domain name?
• Is the name memorable?
• Word order
• Is a descriptive domain name a good idea?
• What is an EMD or PMD domain name?
• How many characters are ideal in your domain name?
• Is it wise to use jargon in your domain name?
• 5 domain name suggestion tools for inspiration
• Checking social profiles for availability
• Recommended: use synonyms
• Domain name of 1 word or more?
• Is buying up old domains a smart move?
• 50+ domain name additions

What You Should Avoid

• Silent letters
• Words that are hard to spell
• Unfortunate combinations
• Trademark infringement
• Hype or slang

And Then…

• Your options if your favourite domain name is already taken
• Found a domain name? Which extensions should you claim?

1. A .nl Extension or Something Else?

Whether you should use a .nl extension depends on 2 strategic choices:

Do you want to rank internationally in Google and sell internationally?

If you want to rank internationally in Google, a .nl extension isn't the right choice. Not only does a .nl domain have a harder time ranking in languages other than Dutch, it can also put potential customers off from making a purchase or request on your website.

Are you only active in the Netherlands, and will it stay that way? Then choose a .nl domain. Want to start selling in multiple countries? Then go for a .com domain name.

How badly do you want to use the name you came up with?

Say you've come up with the perfect company name, or maybe you've been using it for years. It may turn out that this domain name has already been claimed.

What you can do in that case is described at the bottom of this article.

2. Using Numbers in a Domain Name?

If you want to use a number in your domain name, it's important to think it through carefully beforehand.

When someone hears your domain name (rather than seeing it), they won't know whether you write the number out (nine) or as a digit (9).

blabla4you.com is a telling example. Is it blabla4you or blablaforyou?

With a sequence of numbers like 123 this is usually clear, but with a single number that isn't always the case.

Sometimes numbers are used creatively too, for example swapping an E for a 3, or a 1 for an I or L.

The most misleading number is 0, which looks extremely similar to the letter o. You can barely see the difference, and neither can your potential customers.

Our advice: if you don't need to use a number, don't.

3. Do You Ever Want to Sell Your Website or Shop?

It can seem logical to claim a domain name containing your company name or personal name, for example jansentimmerwerken.nl.

But if you ever want to sell the website, the chances that the buyer (person or company) is also called Jansen aren't very high. That makes the domain less valuable.

If you already know you'll want to sell the website someday, it's better not to include a personal name.

4. How Do You Want to Come Across?

Depending on your target audience, you can add words like biggest, best, competitor, expert or other additions that say something about your business.

When you think of …competitor (for example Keukenconcurrent, "kitchen competitor"), you immediately think of sharp prices. That isn't suitable for every type of business.

So think carefully about the image you want to project. Now and in the future.

5. Domain Name With or Without a Hyphen?

A frequently asked question is: does it matter whether I use a hyphen in my domain name?

For SEO it makes no difference at all.

For users it does. If you hear about a company called Klik Proces, you won't automatically assume it's written as www.klik-proces.nl.

If you can avoid a hyphen, do so.

6. How Unique Is the Domain Name?

Of course you want your company name, and therefore your domain name, to be unique. When you're thinking about a unique domain name, you can always do a quick Google search to see how many results that name turns up.

Google your name and look at the top 10 results.

Does anything look similar? If so, it might be wise to keep looking. You can come up with a different name or perhaps tweak your name a little.

If not, that's a good sign!

7. Is the Name Memorable?

Besides wanting your company name to be unique, it also needs to be easy to remember. The paradox is that memorability sometimes clashes with the other tips we give here.

123gold.nl is a good example. Super annoying ads, but you do remember it.

herinneringenoplinnen.nl is another great example. An incredibly long name that's hard to spell (is it herinnering or herrinnering or herinneringen?). But once you've heard of it, you remember it quickly.

ikwilvanmijnautoaf.nl ("I want to get rid of my car"). The name says it all.

8. Word Order

If your domain name consists of several words, make sure they're in a logical order.

Imagine if ikwilvanmijnautoaf.nl were called autovanikmijnwilaf.nl ("car of I my want rid"). Not so strong, right?

That's why words like shop, center or store always come after the descriptive word.

• pdashop
• bikestore
• boatcenter

The other way around just feels wrong

• shoppda
• storebike
• centerboat

Always go for a logical, natural order.

9. Is a Descriptive Domain Name a Good Idea + What Are EMDs and PMDs?

A frequently asked and crucial question. Whether it's the right choice depends on 3 considerations:

• Do you want to be able to expand your range of products or services?
• Do you want a head start in Google?
• Do you want your company name to be your domain name as well?

Depending on your considerations, there are 3 options:

Descriptive domain: Exact Match Domain (EMD)

Descriptive domain: Partial Match Domain (PMD)

Non-descriptive domain: Branded

Exact Match Domain (EMD)

An exact match domain is a domain name that consists exactly of the keywords you want to be found for. If your keyword is damesschoenen (women's shoes), your domain is www.damesschoenen.nl.

Partial Match Domain (PMD)

A partial match domain partly matches the keyword you're targeting. There are several types of PMDs.

Say the keyword is loodgieter Amsterdam (plumber Amsterdam).

You can include the keyword in the domain with additions. For example www.loodgietersamsterdam.nl or www.deloodgieteramsterdam.nl.

You can also include just part of the keyword in the domain. For example www.loodgieterjansen.nl or www.jansenamsterdam.nl

You can also put the words in a different order or with a hyphen in between. For example www.amsterdamloodgieter.nl or www.loodgieter-amsterdam.nl

You can also include part of a word in your domain name, or an abbreviation. For example www.loodgieteradam.nl or www.lood-gieteramsterdam.nl or www.loodamsterdam.nl

Coolblue made heavy use of this tactic to grow big. They only had PMDs as websites, such as www.laptopshop.nl and www.wasmachinestore.nl

Advantages of EMDs and PMDs.

• For SEO this is an advantage for the following reason: an EMD or PMD ranks more easily in Google. Especially when it comes to local search. For example, when you want to be found for a geographic location like the city of Amsterdam or the province of South Holland. Registering an EMD or PMD can still help you rank faster and more easily in Google.
• By making a domain name (partly) descriptive, you can be much clearer to potential customers. fietsenwinkel.nl sells bikes, keukenconcurrent.nl sells kitchens, hanshovenier.nl is a landscape gardener. Without even seeing your website, customers already know what to expect.
• On top of that, when people talk about your website or shop online or link to you, they're more likely to use relevant terms. Because your keyword is already (partly) built into your domain name.

Disadvantages of EMDs and PMDs

There are definitely disadvantages too:

• The most important one is that you limit your website or shop. If you use the name of a city in your domain name, things get tricky when you start offering services in other cities. Or you'd have to start a website for each city, which is often not smart for several reasons.
• If you mention your product or service in your domain name, you limit yourself in the products or services you can offer. It's not easy to understand that www.hanshovenier.nl has grown to the point where they also build brick walls. A logical expansion might be that they now also design gardens and sell garden tools. Your strength can become a weakness as your website or shop expands. It's up to your vision to decide what you do and don't foresee in the future.

Branded

When you use a branded term, your domain name is completely separate from the keywords you want to rank for. Like www.hema.nl or www.bol.com.

The downside of a branded domain name is that you have to work much harder to "explain" to Google what your website is about. On the other hand, you're never limited in the services or products you offer.

Singular or plural?

Does it still matter for SEO whether you use your keyword in plural or singular?

No, not really. Not enough to worry about. People often search with singular keywords, like fiets (bike), but in most cases a domain name looks better in plural. An example is Fietsenwinkel.nl instead of fietswinkel.nl

Mixing Branded and EMD or Branded and PMD

You can also go for a mix of these 2 types of domain names. That's usually perfect. One of the better examples is www.backlinko.com. It's a PMD for the word backlink (an important keyword in our industry), but at the same time it's also a branded term. After all, a "backlinko" isn't anything.

But these domain names are often hard to come up with.

10. How Many Characters in the Domain Name?

When it comes to the number of characters in a domain name, the rule (with a few exceptions) is always: the shorter, the better.

A short domain name is generally easier to remember, easier to promote and takes up less space in advertising.

So keep it short.

11. Using Jargon in the Domain Name?

Generally it's not very smart to use jargon in a domain name. A few exceptions:

• When you're 100% sure all your potential customers know the word. Customers will then recognise the word and the domain faster and know they're in the right place. Don't underestimate, though, how much internal jargon companies use that customers never talk about.
• If you're building a (micro) website about 1 very specific topic and it stays that way. For example a website specifically about dog toys for Labradors.

12. Domain Name Suggestion Tools for Inspiration

Below are 3 very popular tools that, with just a little input, help you come up with a strong domain name and (usually) check whether it's still available.

• Name Mesh Checks the keywords you enter for EMDs and PMDs.
• Dot-o-mator Lets you combine multiple words to check which combinations are still available.
• Instant Domain Search and IWantMyName both instantly search dozens of extensions to see whether your domain name is still available. You also get dozens of suggestions.

13. Check Social Websites for Availability

Once you've found a good potential domain name, it's also a good idea to check whether all the social media accounts are still available.

You can do that quickly and easily on this website: Namechk

14. Synonyms

Synonyms are great. We love them, users love them and Google increasingly does too.

Why not use something that means (almost) the same thing but is much more unique? Instead of seeing the same names over and over on the internet.

Not shop, store or center, but a different word, such as: depot, trading, emporium.

Not expert or specialist, but authority, connoisseur, pro or craftsman.

It always helps to stand out from your competitors in a positive way.

15. One Word or Multiple Words?

Is it better to have a domain name of 1 word or of multiple words?

It doesn't matter. Not for customers and not for SEO. As long as it meets all the other tips, it's fine. Even if it's 3 words or longer.

Once again, the telling example: ikwilvanmijnautoaf.nl

16. Buying an Expired Domain Name

Not everyone knows this, but there's a huge market for expired domain names. These are domain names that someone once bought but, for whatever reason, didn't renew.

What are the pros and cons of using an old expired domain? A fair question. Because what if your ideal domain is already taken, but you can buy it? Or a competitor has gone bankrupt and you want to take over their domain name?

Advantages of an expired domain

In most cases the domain has already built up a certain authority. By that we mean the backlinks pointing to the expired domain.

Imagine an expired domain already has backlinks from various newspapers like nu.nl and the Algemeen Dagblad. Or from universities, blogs or other relevant websites. That can give the website you put on the domain a boost from day one, because your website has more authority than a new, "empty" domain.

A good example is huren.nl. This website currently features all kinds of rental companies that rent out literally every type of product. Previously, the website focused on rental homes, probably under a different owner.

When huren.nl started, the website immediately got a considerable boost. And now, years later, there are still dozens of backlinks from the time they offered rental homes. On top of that, the anchor texts used by the previous owner can help you even further.

Disadvantages of an expired domain

The advantage of an expired domain can also be a disadvantage: the website already has backlinks. And having backlinks isn't necessarily positive.

For example, when the domain name receives backlinks:

• from spammy websites like porn or commonly spammed industries such as lending
• with spammy anchor texts, like Micheal Kors or payday loans
• in large volumes that don't match your type of website. For example hundreds or thousands of links from real estate, while your website is about SEO.
• and the ratio between the number of referring domains and total backlinks doesn't add up. If a domain gets 1000 links from 50 websites, that's fine. If it's 100,000 from 50 websites, that may point to a (spam) problem.

And of course any combination of these 5 points.

You can use 2 simple checklists here to check whether your backlinks are high quality.

17. Domain Name Additions

Found your ideal domain name, but it's already taken? Then you can choose to put 1 or more words before or after your name.

Below is a list of commonly used and recommended words.

• shop
• online
• center / centre
• the
• store
• city
• expert / specialist
• hq
• online
• webshop
• discounter
• competitor
• English translation
• stunt / stunter
• buy / order
• compare / comparison
• 123
• depot
• savings / affordable
• cheap / cheapest
• offer / offers
• discount / discounts
• price / prices / costs
• mr / miss
• best / good / most beautiful / nicest / biggest / lowest
• save / savings
• online store
• square
• my / your
• deal / deals
• giant
• xl / xxl
• review / reviews
• factory
• centrum
• special / specialty store
• responsible
• new / newest / latest
• men / gents / boys / women / ladies / girls
• outlet
• tip / tips
• budget
• your
• coach
• deal / deals
• blog
• design
• club
• pro / professional
• city / village
• direct
• trip / travel
• health / welness
• provider / providers
• forum
• team
• service
• netherlands / nl

To Avoid

Besides a number of tips, there are also a few things you really should avoid when it comes to a domain name.

Silent Letters

It regularly happens that a domain name contains letters you don't pronounce. That can lead to confusion.

For example girav.nl. That's why their radio ad specifically says "girav with a v". This only confuses potential customers.

You run the risk of your customer going to a competitor or not being able to find your website.

Words That Are Hard to Spell

Every language has words that people chronically misspell. That can be due to tricky verb endings, or because letters get left out or added.

Examples of such words in Dutch:

• professioneel (often written as proffesioneel)
• abonnee (often written as abbonee)
• accessoires (lots of versions)
• vacature (often written as vakature)

For a complete overview of common spelling mistakes in Dutch, check out taalfouten.nl

English terms can cause confusion too:

• Gracious
• Definitely
• Beautiful
• Behance
• Creative

It can happen with company names as well. For example Burggraaff with 2 g's and 2 f's.

You also can't clearly hear these letters when you say it out loud.

klikproces.nl is a painful example of this. Not because there are hidden letters, but because everyone thinks it's spelled with ck.

Replacing a letter with a number isn't recommended either.

For example an e with a 3, an L or i with a 1, and succes with suc6.

Creative spellings also often seem fun, funny or cool.

The problem, however, is that customers don't always appreciate them. They can be confusing or, even worse, come across as unprofessional.

Always make sure a domain name is pronounced the same way it's written. Say the domain name out loud. If you stumble or it doesn't flow, that's a red flag.

For example, ask colleagues to pronounce the domain name and ask them to spell it.

We should have done this with Klik Proces too…

Because there are always problems with pronunciation (and spelling), such as:

• clickproces
• clickprocces
• clickprocess
• qlikproces
• klikprocces
• klikprocess

Another example is the fictional company Design 4 You.

Which domain name do you make of that:

• design 4 you
• design for you
• design for u
• dezign 4 you
• dezign for you
• dezign for u

Very confusing for potential customers.

Other creative spellings can also be confusing, like www.gratiz.nl.

Avoid domain names that aren't easy to pronounce and creative spellings that cause problems in practice!

Unfortunate Combinations

Your company is called IT Scrap. So you claim the domain name itscrap.com. But what does it read as? IT'S Crap. Not quite what you intended!

If you want a good laugh, I recommend taking a look here: 30 worst domainnames ever

Say you're a beekeeper and you want to start a website. You sell beehives, bees and honey. So you claim the name bijenenhoning.nl.

Not exactly a winner, right?

The moral of the story: check and double-check your domain name.

Have someone outside the company read it over to make sure there's no unintended misreading in it.

Are You Infringing a Trademark?

Also handy to check. And by handy we mean: essential.

If someone in your industry is active under a similar name, you may be infringing their trademark. That's why it's strongly recommended to Google your term before you register it, and to check a trademark register to see whether your name is already taken.

You can do this here, for example: BOIP Register

No Hype or Slang

Trendy language, buzzwords or slang. It's usually not a good idea to use them in your domain name. Words and language change quickly in that respect. So after 1 or 2 years, your domain name may no longer mean anything.

Even worse, it can turn negative. What serious company uses words that were "hip" years ago? There are bound to be exceptions, but normally you want a name that will last for years to come. After all, you also want to keep making money for years to come.

It can only be useful if you want to jump on 1 specific trend or "buzz" right now, and if you're willing to accept that you may have to throw the domain name away before long or 301 redirect it to something new.

And then…

Say you've found your favourite domain name. What next?

Then there are 2 more important questions:

What If My Favourite Domain Name Is Already Taken?

If your domain name is already taken, that's a real bummer.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do, assuming you're not infringing a trademark:

Contact the company to ask whether you can buy the domain name from them.

You never know whether the company is willing to sell the domain name. Especially if a website hasn't been updated in a long time or the design looks dated.

Add a word before or after the domain name.

Words like: Netherlands, HQ, the, shop, center, international. That way you can keep your name and your domain name still matches it well. Always check that you're not infringing a trademark, though.

Use a hyphen if your domain name consists of multiple words.

For example www.klikproces.nl as www.klik-proces.nl.

Use an extension other than .nl.

For example

• .nu
• .eu
• .info
• .net
• .io
• .co

These extensions can rank just as well in Google Netherlands, but they usually look slightly less appealing. That's a matter of taste, of course.

Then there are other kinds of extensions as well. These are extensions you don't come across much (yet), but that you can use. There's been very little testing of how well they rank, and there are hardly any case studies or examples.

So we assume these extensions rank just as well as a .nl domain.

• .amsterdam
• .online
• .logo
• .design
• .me
• .store
• .app
• .pro
• .tv
• .coach
• .expert
• .club
• .tips
• .support
• .events
• .media
• .taxi
• .email
• .agency
• .website
• .management
• .school
• .marketing
• .studio
• .community
• .gratis
• .guru
• .live
• .cafe
• .sex
• You'll find all the extensions you can register with us, including prices, on our Domain registration page.

You can also choose a domain name that reflects the products or services you offer, but isn't your company name.

For example, locksmith Guus using the domain name www.slotenmaker-utrecht.nl or www.guusutrecht.nl.

If you don't want that, it isn't possible or it isn't allowed, then unfortunately you'll have to choose a different domain name.

Found Your Ideal Domain Name? Which Extension Should You Claim Now?

A question we get asked a lot is this:

I can see that all extensions are still available for my website. Should I claim them all? The .eu, .nu, .info, .com. And should I also claim all the domain names that are the same as mine but with a hyphen? And with words like "the" in front or "expert" at the end?

There's no clear-cut answer to this. Here's what you should consider:

1. Is my brand protected?

If so, nobody else may operate in the same industry under the same (or a very similar) name. That means there's little risk of a competitor potentially misusing your name.

2. Do I ever want to go international?

If you're thinking about expanding internationally someday, it's wise to claim other extensions such as .com or .eu. For a small amount per year, you can be sure this won't cause any problems in the future.

3. When you're worried someone will misuse it.

In some industries and markets, names and websites are misused a lot. For example by copying your website and luring customers to a competitor, or to steal sensitive information. Examples are the locksmith and debt collection industries, which unfortunately have a bad reputation when it comes to shady practices.

Picked a name? In Searching for and choosing a domain name in the WebOké manual, you can read how to search for it and order it with us. There's also a short video there.

Source: this article was written by Bart van der Meer, klikproces.nl

You might also enjoy: The history of the domain name